About 66 illegal miners have been arrested by a joint military and police operation at the Tilli forest in the Upper East Region.
The operation, which took place on Tuesday, March 4th, 2024, was a swoop to end the activities of illegal mining in that forest. The suspects include two Burkinabes, 26 Togolese, and 38 Ghanaians.
The Tilli forest is one of the biggest forest reserves in the Upper East Region, where some of these illegal miners are engaging in illegal mining activities, deteriorating the forest ecosystem.
The forest also contains wildlife species like elephants and other organisms that depend on the forest ecosystem for survival.
Speaking to the Upper East Regional Minister, Akamugri Donatus Atanga, after the arrest, he stated that the operation was motivated by the paramount chief of Sakote, who called on him to help curb the situation in that area.
